CN112450748A

CN112450748A - Electrical appliance

Info

Publication number: CN112450748A
Application number: CN202010452347.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 程晓
Original assignee: Foshan Shunde Kufu Electrical Appliance Co ltd
Current assignee: Foshan Shunde Kufu Electrical Appliance Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-05-25
Filing date: 2020-05-25
Publication date: 2021-03-09

Abstract

The invention provides an electric appliance, which is provided with a base, wherein the base is provided with a shell part and a cooking cavity part, the shell part comprises an air inlet for enabling preheated air to flow in and an air outlet for enabling heated air to flow out, a through air channel is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet, and a blower and an air heater are arranged in the air channel; the cooking cavity portion having an electrical socket and adapted to receive the air frying chamber or the frying chamber one at a time; the air-frying chamber includes a gas inlet for heated air to flow into, the air-frying chamber being configured to communicate between the gas inlet of the air-frying chamber and the exhaust of the housing portion when the air-frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion, the frying chamber including a submersible heating element that is electrically coupled to an electrical socket when the frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion. The present invention allows to fry food in hot cooking oil or to fry food in the same space by means of turbulent hot air, so as to minimize the space occupied by the kitchen counter, facilitating the use of the user.

Description

Electrical appliance

Technical Field

The present invention belongs to the technical field of electrical appliances, in particular to an electrical appliance for frying food in hot air or by immersion in hot cooking oil using the same appliance.

Background

There are appliances in the prior art that can be used to fry food in hot cooking oil, such as the one disclosed in chinese patent application 201780035386.1, which includes: an oil storage tank part including an oil storage tank having at least a part of an inner surface thereof formed of a metal plate; and a basket made of a metallic net and freely separated from the oil reservoir by immersion; the oil storage tank part is provided with an oil storage tank side fixing part and an electrifying part, the oil storage tank side fixing part is used for arranging the frying basket in the oil storage tank under the condition that the frying basket is not electrified with the inner side surface, the electrifying part is provided with an electrifying electrode, the electrifying electrode is arranged on the upper part of the oil storage tank on the opposite side of the operation side surface of the oil storage tank part, is used for electrifying the frying basket arranged in the oil storage tank with alternating current and is insulated from the inner side surface; the basket is provided with a basket-side fixing portion for placing the basket in the oil sump without being energized to the inner side surface by interacting with the oil sump-side fixing portion, and a power receiving portion for receiving power from the energizing electrode to energize a metallic mesh constituting the basket.

There are also prior art devices that can be used to fry food in turbulent human air, such as the one disclosed in chinese patent application 201710898670.3, which includes a pot having a cooking space formed therein and a wind power assembly disposed within the pot and oriented vertically with respect to the cooking space. The wind power assembly is arranged at the bottom in the pot body, and the cooking space is positioned above the wind power assembly. The wind power assembly includes a fan, an air duct member and a heating member, an air suction side of the fan is disposed toward the cooking space, and an air discharge side of the fan is disposed toward a side away from the cooking space. An air channel is formed in the air duct member, and the air duct member has an air inlet disposed toward an exhaust side of the fan and an air outlet disposed toward the cooking space.

No cooking appliance has been available that allows a user to select between frying or air-frying for frying food using either the frying function or the air-frying function depending on the type of food the user has prepared or taste preferences.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that allows frying food in hot cooking oil or by turbulent hot air in the same space, to minimize the space occupied by the kitchen counter for the convenience of the user.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention may be incorporated into or used in an appliance having a frying or air-frying device.

In one aspect, the invention may be embodied or practiced using an appliance having a base with a housing portion and a cooking cavity portion, the housing portion may have an air inlet for inflow of preheated air and an air outlet for outflow of heated air, with a through air passage formed between the air inlet and the air outlet; there may be a blower and an air heater in the air passage; the cooking cavity portion may have an electrical socket and is adapted to receive the air-frying chamber and the frying chamber one at a time, the air-frying chamber may have a heated air gas inlet in communication with a heated air exhaust port in the housing portion when the air-frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion, the frying chamber having a submersible heating element electrically engageable with the electrical socket when the frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion, wherein the submersible heating element is electrically engageable with the electrical socket.

Further, the appliance includes a perforated fry basket for holding food for air or frying, and only one of the air oil chamber or the fry chamber is accessible at a time.

Further, when the cooking chamber partially receives the air frying chamber and the air frying chamber receives the perforated basket, the air mover and air heater are activated to air fry the food items in the perforated basket. Air-frying of food in the porous fry basket is caused by preheated air flowing from the air-frying chamber by the air inlet of the housing portion to the air passage by the blower, the preheated air being heated in the air passage by the air heater and being exhausted as heated air through the air outlet of the housing portion and the air inlet of the air-frying chamber and returned to the air-frying chamber.

Further, the frying chamber is configured to contain cooking oil, and when the cooking chamber partially receives the frying chamber and the frying chamber receives the perforated basket, the submersible heating element is activated to cause the cooking oil contained in the frying chamber to heat and fry food contained in the perforated basket; frying of food contained in the perforated basket is caused by activation of a submersible heating element activated in electrical association with an electrical socket to heat cooking oil contained in the frying chamber.

Further, the appliance may have a lid disposed atop the cooking chamber portion and the perforated fry basket has a handle that extends from the base (on one side of the base) when the perforated fry basket is disposed in the air or fry chamber and the lid is disposed on the cooking chamber portion, the perforated fry basket and lid being removable from the base by grasping the handle.

In another aspect, the invention may be implemented or practiced using an appliance that includes a base having a housing portion, a cooking chamber portion, and an oil heater. The shell part is provided with an air inlet for leading in preheated air and an air outlet for leading out heated air, and a through air channel is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet; and a blower and an air heater are arranged in the air channel; the cooking cavity portion for accommodating one at a time an air-frying chamber or a frying chamber, wherein the air-frying chamber includes a gas inlet for inflow of heated air, the gas inlet of the air-frying chamber communicating with the exhaust port of the housing portion when the air-frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion; the frying chamber may be adapted to contain cooking oil, and the oil heater is adapted to heat the cooking oil in the frying chamber when the frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion.

Further, the frying chamber is adapted to contain cooking oil, and when the cooking chamber partially receives the frying chamber and the frying chamber receives the perforated basket, the oil heater is activated to effect heating of the cooking oil contained in the frying chamber to effect frying of the food item

In yet another aspect, the invention may be practiced or practiced using an appliance having a perforated fry basket, a lid, and a base having a housing portion and a cooking chamber portion. The base is provided with a shell part and a cooking cavity part, the shell part comprises a controller, an air inlet for enabling preheated air to flow in, an air outlet for enabling heated air to flow out, and an air channel formed between the air inlet and the air outlet and communicated with the air outlet, and a blower and an air heater are arranged in the air channel; the cooking chamber portion includes a thermostat and an electrical socket for receiving, one at a time, either an air frying chamber connected to the thermostat or a frying chamber having a fluid heater in electrical communication with the electrical socket, wherein heat exchange can be performed between the frying chamber and the thermostat.

Wherein the air-frying chamber includes a gas inlet for heated air to flow into, the gas inlet of the air-frying chamber being in communication with the exhaust port of the housing portion when the air-frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion;

the air frying chamber and the frying chamber are used for accommodating a porous frying basket which is used for accommodating air-fried or fried food, and a cover is arranged on the base and covers the cooking chamber part and the porous frying basket;

when the air frying chamber is placed in the cooking chamber portion, the blower and the air heater are energized, the food is contained in the porous basket disposed in the air frying chamber, the blower drives the preheated air to flow to the air passage through the air inlet of the housing portion, the preheated air is heated in the air passage by the air heater, and is discharged as heated air through the air outlet of the housing portion and the air inlet of the air frying chamber and returned to the air frying chamber, so that the food in the porous basket is air-fried; and

when the frying chamber is disposed in the cooking chamber portion, food items are held in the perforated basket, cooking oil and the perforated basket are disposed in the frying chamber, and the fluid heater is energized to heat the cooking oil and thereby fry the food items in the perforated basket.

Further, when the porous fry basket is disposed in the air fry or fry chamber and the lid is disposed on the cooking chamber portion, the porous fry basket may have a handle extending outwardly from the base, and the porous fry basket and lid may be removed from the base by grasping the handle.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

Drawings

There is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments of an appliance for selectively frying food in heated cooking oil or in turbulently heated air in accordance with or usable in practicing the invention, wherein,

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the overall structure of the device showing the relationship between the various components during packaging;

FIG. 2 is a top front structural view of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top front structural view of the base of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the appliance of FIG. 1 in use as an air fryer;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the appliance of FIG. 1 in use as an air fryer;

FIG. 6 is a top front structural view of the base of the appliance of FIG. 1 with the air fryer installed;

FIG. 7 is a top front structural view of the base of the appliance of FIG. 1 with the air fryer and the perforated basket installed;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the appliance of FIG. 1 in use as a fryer;

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the appliance of FIG. 1 in use as a fryer;

FIG. 10 is a schematic bottom view of the appliance fryer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a top front structural view of the base of the appliance of FIG. 1 with a fryer installed;

FIG. 12 is a top front structural view of the base of the appliance of FIG. 1 with a fryer and a perforated fry basket installed.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1-12, an exemplary appliance 100 is shown, the appliance 100 including a base 102, a lid 104, a perforated fry basket 106, and two cooking chambers (an air fry chamber 108 and a fry chamber 110) that may be used interchangeably.

All of the components of the appliance are shown in fig. 1, detached from the carton, and nested together to reduce shipping and storage volume, and further, fig. 2 shows the base with the perforated fry basket and lid, fig. 3 shows the base empty with the lid removed, fig. 4-7 show the components required for only air frying, and fig. 8-12 show the components required for only frying.

Referring to fig. 2, it can be seen that whether a deep fryer or an air fryer is used, the lid closes off the cooking chamber portion and can be removed by a lid handle 114 above the lid, a perforated fry basket handle 116 is also provided at the front of the base so that the perforated fry basket and lid can be removed simultaneously in order to protect the user from hot food spills from the perforated fry basket, and a control panel 118 atop the base allows the user to select the desired function and provide an indication of various settings and conditions within the device.

Referring to fig. 3, the base comprises two parts, a cooking chamber part 120 and a housing part 122, wherein the cooking chamber part 120 is adapted to receive a selected cooking chamber, basket and lid, and the housing part 122 comprises a control panel, a blower 124, an air heater 126, a preheated air inlet 128, a heated air outlet 130 and an air channel 134 connecting the air inlet to the air outlet, the blower and air heater being located in the air channel, and in particular, the housing part comprises the various component parts as can be seen in fig. 5.

Referring to fig. 4-7, the appliance is used as an air fryer by first placing the air fryer chamber into an empty susceptor such that the heated air gas inlet 136 of the air fryer chamber is aligned with the heated air outlet 130 of the housing portion 122 and the air fryer chamber is disposed below the housing portion air inlet so that the air fryer chamber does not block the housing portion preheated air inlet; next, the perforated fry basket is placed into an air fry chamber. The perforated fry basket is pre-loaded with food to be air fried or food is poured into the basket after installation of the perforated fry basket and then the lid is placed on top of the perforated fry basket with food and assembled to the base such that the lid, cooking chamber, and housing portions form a closed housing structure.

Next, the user selects the air-frying function, cooking temperature and cooking time on the control panel, activates the energization of the blower to draw preheated air from the air-frying chamber through the preheated air inlet and air passage of the housing portion, and activates the energization of the air heater to return air after the air is heated to the air-frying chamber through the exhaust port of the housing portion and the heated air gas inlet of the air-frying chamber for air-frying food in the perforated basket. A thermostat 140 is provided in the base at the bottom within the cooking chamber portion and is coupled to the bottom of the air fryer chamber to monitor its temperature and activate/deactivate the air heater to maintain the selected cooking temperature for the selected cooking time, then the air blower and air heater are de-energized and an indicator is activated at the control panel to inform the user that the food has finished being air fried so that the user can remove the lid and perforated fry basket and remove the food.

It should be noted that the housing portion of the base is divided around the entire air fryer chamber and that the housing portion divides the insulating air space around the air passage to ensure that the outer surface of the housing portion remains cool and accessible while the interior is at an elevated temperature.

Referring to figures 8 to 12 of the drawings, where the appliance is for use as a deep fryer, figures 10 and 11 show a submersible heating element 144 provided at the bottom of a cooking chamber section, the submersible heating element having two elongate terminal posts 146 protruding from the bottom side of the frying chamber; although the submersible heating element is shown arranged as a tubular fluid oil heating element formed on a metal plate within the cooking chamber portion, other types of heating elements may alternatively be embedded in the underside of the die cast layer of the cooking chamber portion. The frying chamber is first placed into the empty base such that the elongated terminal posts 146 engage electrical sockets 148 in the bottom portion of the base cooking chamber portion, and then filled with cooking oil to the level of the indicia.

Next, the user selects a fry function and a cooking temperature and time at the control panel, which will initiate energization of the submersible heating element to heat the cooking oil, once the cooking oil reaches the selected cooking temperature, an indicator on the control panel is activated to remind the user to immerse the porous fry basket (including the food to be fried) in the cooking oil, then a lid is placed atop the porous fry basket filled with the food and mounted to the base, a thermostat 140 at the bottom of the cooking chamber portion of the base engages the bottom of the fry chamber to monitor its temperature and activate/deactivate the submersible heater to maintain the selected cooking temperature, which will continue until the selected cooking time, then the submersible heating element is de-energized and an indicator on the control panel is activated to inform the user that the food has been fried, so that the user can remove the lid and the porous fry basket, and the food is removed.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention and, therefore, all matter herein set forth or shown by the accompanying drawings.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance comprising a base having a housing portion and a cooking chamber portion;

the shell part comprises an air inlet for enabling preheated air to flow in and an air outlet for enabling heated air to flow out, and a through air channel is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet; wherein, a blower and an air heater are arranged in the air channel;

the cooking cavity portion includes an electrical socket for receiving either the air frying chamber or the frying chamber one at a time;

wherein the air frying chamber includes a gas inlet for inflow of heated air, the gas inlet of the air frying chamber being in communication with the exhaust port of the housing portion when the air frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion;

wherein the frying chamber includes a submersible heating element that is electrically coupled to an electrical receptacle when the frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion.

2. An electrical appliance comprising a base having a housing portion, a cooking chamber portion and an oil heater;

the cooking chamber portion for accommodating the air frying chamber or the frying chamber one at a time;

wherein the frying chamber is adapted to contain cooking oil and the oil heater is adapted to heat the cooking oil in the frying chamber when the frying chamber is received by the cooking cavity portion.

3. The appliance according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a perforated frying basket for containing food to be air-fried or fried, the perforated frying basket being placed in the air-frying chamber or the frying chamber.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein when the cooking chamber partially receives the air frying chamber and the air frying chamber receives the perforated basket, the air mover and air heater are activated to fry food in the perforated basket.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the air-frying of the food items in the perforated basket is caused by preheated air flowing from the air-frying chamber by the blower from the air inlet of the housing portion to the air passage, the preheated air being heated in the air passage by the air heater and being exhausted as heated air through the air outlet of the housing portion and the air inlet of the air-frying chamber and returned to the air-frying chamber.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the frying chamber is adapted to contain cooking oil, and wherein when the cooking chamber partially receives the frying chamber and the frying chamber receives the perforated basket, the submersible heating element is activated to effect heating of the cooking oil contained in the frying chamber to effect frying of the food item.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the frying of the food in the perforated fry basket is caused by a submersible heating element activated in electrical combination with an electrical outlet to heat the cooking oil contained in the fry chamber.

8. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the frying chamber is adapted to contain cooking oil, and wherein the oil heater is activated to heat the cooking oil contained in the frying chamber for frying food when the cooking chamber partially receives the frying chamber and the frying chamber receives the perforated basket.

9. The appliance of claim 3, further comprising a lid positioned on top of the cooking chamber portion;

wherein the perforated fry basket includes a handle, the lid overlies the cooking chamber portion and the handle extends from the base when the perforated fry basket is in the air fry chamber or the fry chamber;

wherein the perforated fry basket and lid can be removed from the base by grasping the handle.

10. An electrical appliance comprising a perforated fry basket, a lid and a base;

the base is provided with a shell part and a cooking cavity part, the shell part comprises a controller, an air inlet for enabling preheated air to flow in, an air outlet for enabling heated air to flow out, and an air channel formed between the air inlet and the air outlet and communicated with the air outlet, and a blower and an air heater are arranged in the air channel; the cooking chamber part comprises a thermostat and an electric socket, which are used for accommodating an air frying chamber connected with the thermostat or a frying chamber with a fluid heater one at a time, wherein the frying chamber and the thermostat can exchange heat, and the fluid heater is electrically connected with the electric socket;